"Never fear; I enjoy this Proteus sort of life extremely, and you may
expect to see me in some new shape, before long."

"Your own shape is far better than any you can assume," said De Valette;
"and by these silken locks, which, if I had looked at, I must have
known, you cannot impose on me again."

"Twice deceived, beware of the third time," said the page, laughing;
and, breaking from De Valette, he was in a moment on the threshold of
the door.

"Here is a newly made priest, as I live!" said La Tour, catching the
page by his arm, and drawing him back a few paces. "But methinks your
step is too quick and buoyant, my gentle youth, for your vocation."

The page made no reply, but drooping his head, suffered a profusion of
dark ringlets to fall over his face, as if purposely to conceal his
features.

"This would be a pretty veil for a girl," said La Tour, parting the hair
from his forehead; "but, by my troth, these curls are out of place, on
the head of a grave priest; the shaved crown would better become a
disciple of the austere father Gilbert.--What, mute still, my little
anchorite? Speak, if thou hast not a vow of silence on thee!"

"And if I have," said the page, pettishly, "I must break it, though it
should cost me a week's penance!"

"Ha! my lady's _soi-disant_ page!" exclaimed La Tour, struck by the